The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to a zero insertion force electrical connector.
The present invention comprises an improvement upon the zero insertion force connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,698 to Anhalt, assigned to the assignee of the present application. Such connector contains fixed contacts in one connector member and movable contacts in the mating connector member. A split insulator member is provided in the second connector member forming a pair of actuating plates for the movable contacts. A cam shaft is rotatably mounted between the actuating plates in the second connector member. Rotation of the shaft causes the actuating plates to be shifted in opposite directions thereby moving the movable contacts in tandem into electrical engagement with fixed contacts in the first connector member.
Occasionally, there is a need to engage only selected ones of the contact pairs in the aforementioned zero insertion force connector, or to provide electrical paths through the connector different from that afforded by engagement of the mating fixed and movable contacts in the connector. For example, modification of electrical paths through the connector may be required for testing, experimentation, equipment repairs, or for countless other purposes. Thus, what is desired and constitutes the object of the present invention is to provide means for selectively altering or controlling the electrical paths through a zero insertion force electrical connector.